The hashtag #AseanEconomicCommunity# flashed across the timelines in social media, i.e Twitter. Based on 2015 data, Twitter is used by 50 million people in Indonesia, and comments were sought on the Asean Economic Community (AEC). The tweets that were submitted were quite diverse. Some Twitter users expressed readiness to face #ASEANEconomicCommunity# while others were pessimistic and expressed doubts; some actually innocently asked what the ASEAN Economic Community was.
So what is the Asean Economic Community (AEC)? Leaders of ASEAN signed the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the establishment of the ASEAN Community which aims to increase global competitiveness, enhance connectivity and to promote development throughout the region. Furthermore, establishment of the AEC aims to compete with China and India in order to attract Foreign Direct investment.
Foreign Direct investment in South East Asia is needed to strengthen the labor market and the people’s welfare. Through the establishment of the AEC, one country can buy and sell goods to other countries in the community without barriers; however, competition will also increase. So there will be winners, and there will certainly be losers.
In addition to the free flow of goods, services and investment, AEC also will pave the way for the free movement of skilled labor, such as doctors, accountants, nurses, dentist, architects, etc. The manpower issue is a crucial problem that Indonesia is currently facing. Therefore, Indonesia needs to achieve a breakthrough to overcome it.
Thus, should we be afraid wih AEC? “We should be confident; although we have to improve many things, but (actually) we can compete," President Jokowi said, as quoted by an Indonesian newspaper. The bottom line is: do not be afraid to face the AEC. We should increase competitiveness, innovation, focus on quality itself. If faced with a legal problem, fisrt of all keep calm, understand the legal problem, consult with a Legal Extension, Paralegal, Legal Aid Organization and law enforcers.
One month ago, the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (MoLHR) inaugurated more than 200 legal extensions throughout Indonesia and estimates that the number of legal extensions will continue to increase. The role of a legal extension is very important in disseminating laws and regulations, providing legal services to poor people, either directly or indirectly through lsc.bphn.go.id
MoLHR will provide free lawyers to help the poor resolve conflicts through an Accredited Legal Aid Organization. Now there are 397 Accredited Legal Aid Organizations ready to deliver legal service to poor people.
To identify the poor who are eligible, given the diverse and conflicting forms of poverty, they must bring a letter which states that they qualify as being poor, and this letter is issued by the village head and local officials. For further information regarding Accredited Legal Aid Organizations, please open this link: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzeKuzjrYh_7Sk1yRnZibmpGVlE
In addtion, on 28 of Januaary, there will be a legal awareness compaign simultaneously carried out in 33 provinces of Indonesia. Based on the information, there will be 5000 places where legal compaign activity will take place. This activity is one of the efforts of MoLHR to prepare for AEC. (Humas BPHN)